The partnership was signed in the presence of Jean-Jacques Queyranne, President of the Rhône-Alpes region (former minister), Clayton Stanger, Consul General of the United States in Lyon, Wilfred Muskens, Under-Secretary for International Development, State of Pennsylvania, Pr. Amr Elnashai, Dean of Penn-State Engineering, and Eric Maurincomme, Director of INSA Lyon.

For this occasion, numerous events about economy, culture, tourism, higher education and research, combining "Rhônalpins" actors and the american community installed in the region, were organised.